Keep Friends Close And Keep Rivals Closer
by akurosa
Summary: Private moments between two friends-though they'll probably never admit it. Shanks & Mihawk friendship. Bit of angst, bit of humor. I think.
1. Chapter 1

_A private moment between two friends. Just wanted to try, because Mihawk and Shanks seem to be more than what meets the eye. And because I think I'd be pissed if someone made my rival, no longer able to be my rival. And because Shanks and Mihawk are simliar in ways I didn't realize till now. _

_**Years ago, **_

"What happened?"

Shanks smiles tiredly. He is not surprised because he has been waiting; one of his own had come running in a few minutes before, warning his captain of the intruder.

"Hawk Eyes Mihawk, glad to know you're still alive."

"Seeing your state, I cannot return the sentiment," The swordsman barely blinks as he repeats. "What happened?"

Shanks takes a deep swig from his flask. It has been a few months since he left Luffy behind and longer since he has last seen Mihawk. The man he remembers was always slightly irritated, partly impassive and mostly indifferent. The man standing before him is mostly irritated. And Shanks knows why.

"I saved a kid from a sea monster," Shanks shrugs with a grin and pretends his rival can't see the pain etched in that single movement.

Mihawk stares down at him.

"You saved a child from a sea monster," He repeats. "A sea monster, took your arm?"

"Yep."

"Because of a child?"

"The kid's worth it." There is fierce affection and pride that Shanks doesn't bother to hide and Mihawk notices. A flicker in the yellow eyes and Shanks finds himself repeating, conviction in every word. "Luffy's worth it."

There is the slightest pause and Shanks recognizes the hesitation, the consideration, the question.

"I'll never regret it," Shanks assures. He remembers and adds, laughter glowing in every word. "The kid said he's gonna become the Pirate King."

"And you believe this child?" The world's greatest swordsman snorts and finally the danger passes. Shanks relaxes.

"You'll understand someday Mihawk," Shanks informs Mihawk cheerfully as he motions to his crew mates for another bottle of alcohol. "It's not just about believing. Someday you'll find a scrawny little arrogant kid who has the craziest dreams, and suddenly you'll just know you can't let him die."

"Hmph." Mihawk makes his opinion on that matter clear as he takes a seat and accepts the drink Shanks passes him. "You truly are an idiot."

_**Years later,**_

"And what did you do?"

The glee isn't at all suppressed in Shank's question.

"I scarred him for life." Mihawk deadpans, the scowl on his face getting fiercer by the second.

"Uh-huh."

"Roronoa is an arrogant child but he has potential."

"Uh-huh."

"I simply decided that with such potential he could become a worthy opponent."

"Uh-huh."

"This is nothing like what happened to you and Monkey D. Luffy."

"Uh-huh."

A second of silence, before the world's strongest swordsman finally rises to the bait and grits his teeth, a rare moment of tempest in the normally serene features; he growls.

"Wipe that smirk off your face else _I shall hurt you_."


	2. Chapter 2

_This started out as a serious scene where Shanks thanks Mihawk for during the war... And then it became Utter nonsense and unavoidable OOCs... I don't know wh at's wrong with me :( Slash joke but no real shipping intended._

_**Play**_

"Mi-what the _hell_?"

Two heads snap up in perfect sync.

"What the _hell_ are you two doing?"

**_No wait. Pause. Rewind. Yes. Now Play_**

The only hint of Mihawk's awareness of the new presence was the softest snort and that was swiftly covered by the rustling of the newspaper. Roronoa Zoro however, stiffened perceptibly, and looked up from the black bladed katana he was cleaning. He cast a glance at the older swordsman and his gaze narrowed when he saw that the newspaper was cleverly placed between him and the older man's face. There hadn't been the slighest movement, the faintest hint of anything but Zoro knew-from the past few months he'd trained with the world's strongest swordsman-the damn man was smirking behind those papers. However, Zoro said nothing and returned his attention to his weapon; whoever Hawk-Eye met on his personal time was his business.

Whoever Zoro unconsciously thought would be visiting the gloomy and dangerous grounds of the island, it certainly wasn't the man who cheerfully barged through the doors.

"Hawk-eyes Mihawk!" Red Haired Shanks waved the bottle of wine in his hand as he strode inside-his eyes flickering to the left being the only sign of noticing a particular green headed man sheathe his weapons. The tips of his mouth curled into a smile that lightened the handsome features yet, like the young swordsman did minutes before, Shanks said nothing and threw himself into the chair beside his rival. Said rival very pointedly turned another page, an obvious message Shanks ignored. He set the bottle of wine on the table between them as he continued cheerfully. "Such a warm welcome the homicidal sword wielding monkeys gave... I daresay they reminded me of someone."

The snort from the other side of the room evoked a leveled glare from the Shichibaku. However, when the ex-pirate hunter picked himself and disappear behind the oak doors, the glare switched its target.

With complete immunity finely honed over the years, Shanks grinned-but the shine flickered for a moment upon hearing his rival's careful warning.

"If it is an apology you came to demand, you shall not get it."

The lines in Shanks softened for the shortest moment-because that admission was the closest thing to an apology the swordsman would ever give anyways-before he snapped back into the cheerful, loud and obnoxiously happy mood he knew Mihawk just _hated_.

"We both know he wouldn't have gotten out of there alive if you truly didn't want him to," Shanks grinned. "For whatever reason you let him, you let him and that's enough for me."

Shank's decades-old rival stared at him unblinkingly, before finally accepting Shank's answer and snorting.

"_You_ will not get out of here alive if your crew has made this voyage into a field trip to my castle."

"Nah, they may be idiots but none of them are suicidal," Shanks replied fondly. "They're waiting by the shore with the ship. I just came to give you this."

The red-headed captain held up the bottle of fine wine he'd brought. The shichibaku finally folded the newspaper and placed it on the small, wooden table between himself and the pirate. He rested into his hand as he said, sounding almost bored.

"If it's so fine, I suppose the takju I received from a far country in the east would be unnecessary."

Shanks eyes lit up-exotic drinks from new places were an offer he'd never turn down. And Mihawk damn well knew that.

"Rice-wine?"

"One of the very best," Mihawk plucked a small key out of his pocket as he continued. "It's down in one of the colder cellars, though. A pity-"

Mihawk was cut off in surprise.

**_Pause, Fast-forward, play _**

"What the _hell_?"

Roronoa Zoro stands at the doorway, staring at his mentor and his mentor's friend in mild surprise. He raises an eyebrow at the two men who are in their ridiculously compromising position, one man practically sitting and stretched on top of the other.

"What the _hell _are you two doing?"

**_Pause, this time rewind, and play _**

"Gimme the key!"

"Get off me and I will give you the key!"

"Gimme the key and I'll get off you!"

"No, get off me and I will give you the key!"

"No, gimme the key and I'll get off you!"

"_Red-Hair_!"

**_Finally, pause, fast-forward and play_**

"What the _hell _are you two doing-no, don't answer that," Roronoa Zoro rubbs the back of his neck. "I'll just come back later."

Shanks scrambles off-with an irritated shove pushing him in the right direction-and raises his hand in a somewhat placating manner.

"It's not what it looks like kiddo." Shanks starts.

"Of course," Zoro agrees calmly and seriously and Shanks could swear the kid is smirking. "I'll just come back later."

"No, kid. You've got it wrong. It's _not_-"

But the door swings shut and the footsteps that echoed along the halls die away. Shanks looks from the closed door to his simmering rival and thinks for a moment. Then he breaks the silence brightly.

"Gimme the keys?"

Shanks doesn't get the keys. His face does.


End file.
